The playing of various games as a form of recreational activity is increasing in popularity. While certain games such as checkers have always been popular forms of recreation, certain other games such as backgammon are experiencing rapid growth. The rapid increase in popularity of these games has led to a variety of types and styles of gameboards and playing pieces. However, the vast majority of such game boards involve discrete playing pieces and gameboards. Accordingly, most games are designed to be played with the playing surface disposed horizontally. While certain types of gameboards, such as those having a magnetic subsurface, allow varying dispositions of the gameboards, the discrete nature of the playing pieces and the gameboard limits the mobility of such games and, in addition, results in playing pieces becoming lost.
Very few gameboards provide any integration of the playing pieces and the gameboard playing surface. Such an integration is especially attractive as it makes the game much more portable, thereby facilitating the playing of the game. Such portability has a direct effect on the popularity of the game.
The advent of small, but extremely powerful computer logic circuitry has allowed a great deal of flexibility to be incorporated in many of the newer games found in the marketplace. The use of such devices, generally referred to as microcomputers, allows a gameboard designer much flexibility in implementing a game. In particular, the use of such microcomputers allows a complete elimination of the playing pieces when the playing pieces are replaced by various electronic representations generated and controlled by the microcomputer.
In addition to the obvious increase in the portability of a game afforded by electronic generation and control of the playing pieces, such electronic control often allows simplified manual intervention by the game players. For example, a bank of switches can be used to control the movement of the playing pieces. This has the advantage of allowing those, such as the handicapped, an opportunity to participate in a game which might not otherwise be possible.
Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to enhance the enjoyment of playing various games as a form of recreation.
It is another object of this invention to increase the portability of games.
It is still another object of this invention to integrate the playing pieces and the gameboard surface.
It is another object of this invention to allow a gameboard to be utilized when disposed in a position other than the horizontal.
It is a final object of this invention to simplify the manual intervention required in the playing of games.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and from the accompanying drawings.